The head of West Midlands Police’s Counter Terrorism Unit has been moved to a new role after secret files were stolen from an unmarked police car.

Assistant Chief Constable Marcus Beale is understood to have lost his high-ranking security portfolio after the theft sparked a major alert.

The files were stolen from the boot of an unmarked police car being used by Mr Beale on May 15 and we revealed the security breach on June 5.

Now West Midlands Police has confirmed that it was announced to force staff that Mr Beale was moving to a new role on the very same day we broke the story. He took up his new position on June 15.

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The force claims the move was part of a ‘reshuffle’ following the announcement that ACC Michele Larmour was to retire. It said: “Following the retirement of an Assistant Chief Constable, the Chief Constable carried out a reshuffling of portfolios.

“ACC Marcus Beale has moved from security to oversee the operations department. ACC Gary Cann, who previously oversaw operations, has taken over the security portfolio.

“ACC Sarah Boycott has taken on local policing responsibilities and Temporary ACC Alex Murray continues to oversee crime. “

Assistant chief constable Marcus Beale.

The force initially refused to say who was in charge of its security portfolio between May 15 and June 15. However, when pressed it confirmed Mr Beale had been in charge of the portfolio - during which the Manchester Arena bombing and London Bridge terror attack took place.

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We had previously told how West Midlands Police had launched an urgent investigation after confidential and highly classified documents were stolen from a car used by Mr Beale.

The force refused to confirm or deny if the vehicle was Mr Beale’s. Unusually, the force refused to reveal the location of the theft.

But it is understood the theft would have jeopardised Mr Beale's high-level security vetting status - meaning he would not have been able to remain in charge of the force’s security and counter terrorism portfolio.

A force spokesman said when we broke the story: “An investigation has been launched after items were stolen from a West Midlands Police officer’s unmarked car.

“A number of personal items were taken during the theft along with a locked metal box that contained documents relating to police matters. The box was locked in the boot.

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The embarrassing news came as the country remained on high terror alert after three recent atrocities in Manchester and London.

Mr Beale had held the security portfolio with responsibility for West Midlands Counter Terrorism Unit (WMCTU) and local policing in Birmingham. He was also the force’s lead for equality, diversity, and human rights, and health and safety.

West Midlands Police website has now updated to state his new portfolio. It states: “Assistant Chief Constable responsible for Uniformed Operations.

“His portfolio includes responsibility for Roads Policing and the Professional Standards Department, having held the Security portfolio before that. He is also the force’s lead for Equality, Diversity and Human Rights, and Health and Safety.”

Mr Beale joined the West Midlands force in June 2011 as an experienced ACC, having served at that rank for the previous four years with Staffordshire Police.

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According to his previous profile on the West Midlands Police website, he had held significant command responsibilities for WMCTU operations. It stated: “These operations have disrupted some of the most significant UK mainland terrorist plots in recent years, including the ‘London Stock Exchange’ plot in 2010, the foiled suicide attack plan in 2011, and the failed attack on the Dewsbury EDL in 2012.”

Last year Mr Beale was one of four former Staffordshire Police officers told they would face no action over an investigation into the murder of Kevin Nunes.

Five men were convicted in 2008 for the shooting but were cleared on appeal in 2012.

At the Appeal Court, Lord Justice Hooper criticised a “very bad case of non-disclosure” regarding the credibility of a witness, leading to “what appears to us to be a serious perversion of the course of justice”.

But last year it ruled there was “no evidence of a cover up or of wilful omission” by any of the officers.